Sticks and Laces

 When was the last time you did a sticks and laces check?  16U Blazers hockey coach Mike Zandri recently did, and what he saw among his team of teens prompted him to quickly fire off an e-mail to parents and players.  While it may seem like small stuff,  as coach Zandri points out, the right sized stick and how you lace up your skates can make a big difference in a player's performance on the ice.  So let's review ,as the coach delivers some timely advice.
    "The past couple of times on the ice, I noticed some of the boys are using sticks that are too long.  General guidelines are nose in sneakers and chin in skates.  An inch can make a big difference, as it causes the toe of the stick to pop off the ice."  Wow, who knew?  The coach also points out, " Good pass catching requires the entire blade of the stick on the ice with the blade cupped and some down-pressure on the stick.  The blade should wear evenly.  If the heel is wearing unevenly compared to the rest of the blade, then the stick is

Hockey Dad's Bread Rising in Popularity

You can see the pride on his face every time his son steps out onto the ice. Local bakery owner, Peter Christou, is now savoring his role as a hockey dad, watching his Pee Wee son develop his tactical defense skills for a Skaneateles Youth hockey team. Growing up in Central New York, hockey was a big part of Peter's life. He was a dominant blue liner for his Solvay high school hockey team and his brothers played for Christian Brothers Academy. So, for those who
know the brothers' passion for hockey, it's no surprise to see Peter
and his brothers at the local rinks, supporting their puck-chasing kids and this sport.


PLAYING A ROLE IN HOCKEY AND FITNESS
You'll see their support at every Crunch game. The family owned business, New York Bakery in Lakeland, is a main sponsor for the Syracuse Crunch hockey team. Just look up at the scoreboard during a game and you can't miss the sign touting their newest whole wheat creation, the official bread for the team (which is scoring big beyond our Central New York community, including soldiers overseas). The idea for their P28 High protein bread, got "baking" back when the brothers were overweight and out of shape. They knew winning their battle of the bulge would mean a major fitness makeover, but the thought of cutting bread out of their diets? Tough concept for the three brothers to swallow. After all, bread was literally their bread and butter! Working with a nutritionist and personal trainer they developed the hearty P28 bread, a healthful option that's loaded with protein. Call it a wonder bread, because combined with their new fitness attitude, Peter says it worked wonders for the now buff bakers.


TEENS CHOICE AWARD
It's not just a bread that's popular among adults striving to stay in shape. My 15- year old is trying to "bulk up" for high school hockey and a lot of his friends with the same goal in mind, have made P-28 their bread of choice. He's health-conscious, but far from an adventurous eater. He likes everything plain and it's always been white bread only. I've even tried to sneak him sandwiches made with those wheat breads that look like white. Nope. Somehow he can always tell and I'll always find the bread left behind on the plate. Given his aversion to anything but white bread, I was more than a little surprised when he asked for this bread with a chewy texture and chalk full of whole wheat. I thought, no way is he ever going to finish a loaf. It'll be another one of those products you buy and try and that would be the end of it. Sure the hockey connection was a plus, but as we all know how finicky teens can be with food. They're not going to stick with anything they don't like. To my surprise again, he's become a regular P28 bread eater and will now choose toasted bread slathered with peanut butter over a bag of chips to satisfy his ravenous after school snack attacks. This hockey mom says hooray for the nutritional assist! He's certainly not alone, with fitness celebrities now climbing on board the P 28 bread train. If you would like to learn more about Peter and his brother's P28 Bread go here. They even have a Facebook fan page, recipe ideas to try and Peter says they're getting ready to roll out their new bagel. Congrats to the Christou family, a local hockey family with really good taste!

THE PUCK HOG

THE PUCK HOG
by Christie Casciano, illustrated by Rose Mary Casciano Moziak
8 x 8 – Illus.
Paper – $ Not Set – ISBN-10 1-59531-037-1
ISBN-13 978-1-59531-037-8

Children will enjoy skating along on an
emotional journey with a tight-knit group
of youth hockey players. Their goal is to
be the best in their league, but their
biggest challenge isn’t an opposing team.
The source of their anger, frustration and
disappointment is a mouthy, self-serving
teammate. The Puck Hog, an early reader
chapter book, encourages the values of
fair play, playing together as a team, playing
hard and having fun!

Published by North Country Books.

For a complete listing of North Country Books New York State regional products go here.